The decisions made to enact emergency powers are not made lightly but with some fear and trepidation on the part of the legislature and the governor. We felt we did need to respond to the data and facts presented by this public health crisis but at the same time I want to express that we are very cognizant of the fact that we are greatly curtailing many freedoms. We have 1) authorized the executive branch power that belongs to the legislative branch which runs counter to the principle of having co-equal branches of government which our republic is based on, and 2) restricted 2 major 1st Amendment rights, which are freedom of religion and freedom of peaceable assembly. If this doesn’t scare you, it should. I know the governor, as well as the legislature, are concerned as well. This action sets a precedent for the future when, heaven forbid, if we should ever have a legislature and governor less concerned about curtailing citizens’ freedoms. This is why we need to restore both the balance between legislative and executive branches and those 1st Amendment rights just as soon as the emergency is past. We should not rest easy until that is done.
